Photographs
by Hikari-and-Yami
Summary: - Collection of puzzle/blindshipping oneshots for 2015 PSC -
1. sink or sw - no, just sink

**A/N:** This collection of oneshots is for the 'Puzzleshipping Song Contest' on the BPSC Forum. There will be seven oneshots in total - one posted every two weeks. All are song inspired and the song/artist of the given round will be posted each chapter. More information on the contest and on the writers participating in said contest can be found on my homepage. Feel free to join us in the forum chat and help support and cheer on the contestants! Reviews, as always, are awesome and appreciated!

 _Round 1:_ 'Soap' by Melanie Martinez

* * *

 **sink or sw - no, just sink**

* * *

Katsuya was an asshole, Atem decided right then and there.

Yes, his best friend since childhood was an asshole.

And this here asshole, in all his ass-like glory, had taken it upon himself to pour an _entire_ tub of liquid soap into _Atem's_ outdoor, in-ground pool.

Why, on God's green earth, would someone do such a thing, you may be asking yourself.

"I wanted bubbles."

Because he wanted _bubbles_.

"I think I might actually kill you," Atem said, as he watched the blond man do backstrokes in his pool, suds parting to allow Katsuya's body to drift past them, before cluttering back together in the empty space left behind. Soapy bubbles so thick and so numerous that Atem could no longer see the floor of his once pristine pool. "You might actually have to die for this."

"Oh _come on_. It's not a big deal," Katsuya said. He paused in his movements, his bottom half submerged in the pool, to glance over at Atem. "Look at it this way, pal, at least you don't hafta worry about cleanin' up the pool. I pretty much just killed all the bacteria for you."

"That's what _chlorine_ is for." Atem pushed the words through clenched teeth.

"Pah." Katsuya dismissed him with a wave, then dunked his head under the sudsy water.

Atem considered for a moment circling the pool's edge so that he could _hold_ his head under there. He decided against it a second later and, with a deep breath, Atem closed his eyes and forced his muscles to loosen. He rubbed his temples to soothe the dulling sensations of an oncoming headache away.

Not today, he thought.

He would not allow Katsuya's idiocy to ruin this beautiful Saturday afternoon. Atem deserved a nice, relaxing day off after the hellish week of work he just had, and he would not allow Katsuya to stress him out. He would _not_ go gray young. He would _not_ need meds for high blood pressure. He would _not_ kill Katsuya. Not today.

But tomorrow, perhaps.

"Yo, I invited Yugi over. He should be here any minute."

Nope, scratch that – he was going to kill him today.

" _Katsuya_!" Atem hissed, his oncoming headache practically exploding into a very present migraine. "You didn't even _ask_ me if that was okay!"

"I figured you wouldn't have a problem with it." Katsuya titled his head to the side, a tic in his cheek. "I mean, if I didn't know any better - "

"- and you don't -"

"- then I would think that you don't want him around for _some_ reason..."

Katsuya was never very subtle in his insinuations. "It's just common courtesy not to invite people over someone else's house without asking first," Atem grumbled.

"It must have just slipped my mind," Katsuya lied, and they both _knew_ that Atem _knew_ that his best friend was lying.

 _Because no, it didn't just slip your mind. You're just an asshole_ , Atem's mind supplied.

But instead of voicing his thoughts, knowing that to do so would prove rather pointless, Atem settled himself down on one of his pool chairs and snatched up his book on the ground by one of the legs. He leaned back in the chair and shot a glare at Katsuya, who had submerged himself just deep enough in the sudsy water that only his wet mop of blond hair and amber eyes were visible. He was watching Atem like a crocodile, and Atem didn't have to see the lower half of his face to know that there was a shit-eating grin on it.

Atem resisted the urge to jump in the pool to drown Katsuya, but just _barely_.

The sound of the backyard gate clicking open drifted into the air, a noise that accompanied that of the chirping birds in the trees around them. Out of the corner of his eye, Atem caught sight of a tousled mane of blond and raven locks.

Yugi was here.

Great.

Yugi was exactly what he _didn't_ need right now.

There would be no relaxing now, Atem knew. All hopes of doing so vanished into thin air with an audible ' _poof'_ as Yugi – one of Katsuya's friends who the blond had met last year at a dueling competition of all places – bounced into the yard towards them.

Yugi – the beautifully striking young man ( _sinfully so_ ) who was bright and playful and charming in the most awkward of ways with a voice that reminded Atem of soft, classical music. A man who Atem also just so happened to be madly in love with.

Atem bit back a groan at the thought.

His feelings towards Yugi were rather... complicated.

After all, Atem rather liked being alone. He liked his nine to five steady job, his black pressed suits, his evening tea. He liked paying more than the minimum due; he liked brunch, and taking his shoes off at the door, and ties that matched his pocket napkin. He liked black and white films, sorting the books on his living room shelves in alphabetical order, and going to bed at a decent hour.

His life was very straightforward and, when Katsuya wasn't around trying to piss him off, very predictable and calm. He thoroughly enjoyed the order and cleanliness and simplicity of his life.

There lied the problem since Yugi Motou was anything but _simple_.

No, Yugi was not budgets and quiet reading and timely mortgage payments.

Yugi was unnecessary risks; he was spontaneous road trips and impulsivity and pouty temper tantrums. Yugi was procrastination at it's finest; he was forgetfulness; he was pointless arguments that would no doubt end with Yugi storming out in the middle of the night and Atem chasing after him, because Atem knew he would _always_ chase after him. Yugi was a hot mess who _liked_ being a hot mess. And more than all of that, Yugi was possible heartbreak.

To be honest, the way Yugi smiled at him, the gentle curve of those pink plush lips, and the liquid shine in his eyes of blue violets caused absolute _mayhem_ inside of Atem. The older man almost resented the way that Yugi made him feel. It gave him anxiety that he wasn't used to; insecurity, fear even. And it was so intense that Atem almost immediately went on the defense when around him.

And Atem knew that it was because of this that he was perhaps colder to Yugi than was warranted.

"Hiya Jou!" Yugi greeted, addressing the man in the water by his nickname. He said something to Katsuya about the pool - the ridiculous state of it, that is - and then looked over his shoulder at him. "Hey Atem!"

 _Damn it all to hell_.

Yugi was walking over to him then, his hand raised in a friendly wave. "I see you have your hands full with Jou today."

Atem swallowed his initial greeting, and it left a bitter taste in his mouth. He couldn't tell if it had been a harsh slew of angry words or a declaration of love, but he didn't care to dwell on it. "Indeed," Atem said simply in response.

Yugi's smile did not falter. It never did. No matter how contrite or affectless Atem had tried to be, no matter how many times he had tried to push the younger man away, Yugi always stayed. It was somehow Yugi's most endearing and mind-blowingly frustrating trait.

"Are you going to join us in the pool?"

Atem raised an eyebrow, almost as if confused by the question. "Not in its current state, no."

"Suit yourself." Yugi shrugged, then raised his arms to shed his shirt, and Atem found the words on the page of his book _really_ interesting in that moment. "Do you have sunscreen?" Yugi asked Atem, his top half bare and showing off the creamy quality of his skin.

"Yug', don't put that shit on," Katsuya shouted over at him from the pool. "Sunscreen is a body condom for the fuckin' sun. Come out and enjoy her in all her natural glory."

"Are you kidding me? I'll burn in two minutes. My skin is _sensitive_ , Jou," Yugi whined a bit, his voice ending on a high pitch that went right to Atem's groin. The elder shifted in his chair with a cough.

"There's some over there," Atem said, gesturing with his head to the pool floats nearby. Yugi followed the path with a small thanks, and Atem was all too grateful for the additional distance put in between them. He watched only briefly as Yugi poured a burst of sunscreen into his hand and spread the milky substance over his arms, across his stomach, up his sides, around his neck, then back down over the curve of his hips...

...and man, what a _great_ book this is, Atem thought to himself. Really superb writing and excellent use of similes, he mused silently.

* * *

One hour later had Katsuya tossing Yugi ungracefully into the pool, and Yugi splashing Katsuya as punishment, followed by Katsuya complaining that he got soap in his eyes, to which Atem grunted an audible ' _Good_ ' from his spot in his chair.

And then, Katsuya had announced that he was going to fix himself a sandwich.

It was only a few minutes after the blond had retreated inside the house that Atem gave into the urge to peer over his book discreetly and watch Yugi float around the pool. Yugi's skin, Atem noticed, was a blush of pink; a hue of color given to him by the sun's rays. It occurred to him that Yugi must have felt his stare, because those bluish pearl eyes turned to him then, appearing to almost glitter in the sunlight, and Atem momentarily froze.

Even in the big open space of his backyard, being alone with Yugi made him feel like he was in a tight, sealed-off tunnel, where breathing correctly was simply not possible.

Forcing himself to look away, Atem put his book on the ground and stood to his feet. He stretched his arms over his head, pulling at the stiff muscles in his back. "I'm gonna make myself something to eat as well," Atem said aloud.

"Okay, well, I guess if you're both eating, then I'll join you guys!" Yugi swam over to the edge closest to Atem and smiled. "Can you help me out?"

Atem looked down at him with a frown and glanced at Yugi's outstretched hand, his palm open and reaching out towards him. Atem placed his hands on his hips stubbornly. "There are pool stairs, you know."

Yugi blinked at him like _he_ was the one being unreasonable. "The stairs are _all the way_ over there," Yugi said.

Atem rolled his eyes at the emphasis Yugi placed on his words, because apparently swimming a couple of feet to walk out of the pool on his own was absolutely _beyond_ him. Yugi just wanted to be difficult, didn't he?

"Can't you just help me out?" Yugi asked him again.

Atem sighed, tossing his hands in the air dramatically, displaying his annoyance for all to see, before bending over and reaching down to grab onto Yugi's hand.

God, he was an idiot.

That was his first thought when he felt his face collide with the first layer of the bubble-infested water with a _splash._

Orienting himself quickly as his body completely submerged itself in the pool, Atem burst through the water's surface and sucked in a breath, indignant glare already etched onto his face. Using a steady stream of kicks to keep himself afloat, Atem turned to Yugi who - _god damn it all_ \- was the absolute prettiest sight in the world and brimming with laughter that bounced from his lips in a fit of hiccups.

Atem felt his heart twist at the sight and, in response, his fists clench underwater by his sides. "Yes, well, I am glad you find this all so amusing." Atem scowled. "Honestly, you're just as bad as – "

And then Yugi was kissing him.

Just like that.

One minute laughing at him, the next pressing up against him, arms wrapped around his neck. And it was the shock of those soft butterfly lips pushing against his that rendered Atem unable to respond in any way. His brain, along with his heart, had all but flatlined.

"Live a little, Atem." Yugi's breath blew across his lips as he spoke. "I promise it won't hurt." He kissed the corner of Atem's mouth, then pulled back enough to meet the elder's eyes.

Atem blinked once, moved his jaw just to make sure it was still attached to his face, then gave the boy holding him a pointed look. "It will always hurt," Atem muttered quietly. "Love is messy like that."

Yugi released him and made a grand gesture, spreading his arms out as he swam backwards with gentle strokes his legs. "It's a good thing we have all this soap to clean it up then."

Atem watched him silently, eyes locked onto Yugi's retreating figure, and almost wanted to laugh. Not enough soap in the world would be able to clean up the carnage that Yugi would leave behind if this all failed.

And it was this knowledge that fed into his hesitation, as his mind went over the risks of following Yugi deeper into the pool. This was going to be a mess - that was clear if the sinking feeling in his stomach was anything to go by - and he considered for a second the very real possibility of drowning; of losing himself completely. Then, he looked at Yugi, those eyes caught his, and he thought fleetingly that perhaps drowning was beautiful and maybe, _just maybe_ , it would be painless.

Atem waited another moment.

Then, he took in a loud breath, ducked his head under the water's surface, and swam towards Yugi.


	2. Mercy

**A/N:** The fic I wrote for this round wound up turning from a oneshot into a full mini-fic. The entire story is posted on my main page, but I will post the final part of said fic here if anyone's interested in reading it.

 _Round 2:_ 'Operator' by Nightcore

* * *

 **Mercy**

* * *

 _Year: Fall 2015_

" _Page the doctor!_ "

It wasn't five minutes later that Dr. Yugi Motou skidded into the emergency room, his stethoscope bouncing against his collarbone as he approached the growing crowd by Room 6.

"Talk to me," Yugi ordered the second he was in earshot. "What do we got?"

"Hit and run," Anzu Mazaki, the ER Charge Nurse, said calmly. "He has an open femur fracture that needs immediate attention," she said, gesturing to the bone protruding out of the unconscious patient's leg, "the rest of his injuries are rather minor, though he has a few lacerations that will require stitches. I'm more concerned with his head though. According to bystanders, he cracked it pretty hard against the pavement after impact."

"Possible TBI then," Yugi swore, as Anzu passed him a patient care order that he needed to sign off on to allow the continued administration of meds being pushed through the man's system. "If his brain is swelling, we need to relieve any intracranial pressure, stat. Start a course of Lapezanine to keep his blood pressure lowered."

In the rush and panic of his surroundings, Yugi momentarily glanced down at the patient's face, only then registering the man's features. He fumbled with the pen in his hand for only a second's time, then looked away to tuck the signed order into the patient's bedside chart.

The monitor hooked around one of the nearby IV poles began alarming with a shrill blare, alerting everyone to the patient's spiking vitals and his plummeting heart rate. "We need to intubate him _now,_ " Yugi ordered, the urgency in his voice clear.

"We need to get him to the operating room for his leg, before he bleeds out," another doctor said.

"If we don't secure a steady flow of oxygen to his brain then he won't _need_ a leg," Yugi snapped. "Intubate him now, then fasten a tourniquet around the limb to decrease the blood flow to the site. We'll get him up to the OR as soon as he stabilizes."

Anzu was already inserting an oral airway down the patient's throat by the time Yugi had finished giving the orders. She squeezed the attached air bag at even intervals to aid in the oxygen flow, and as the meds began to kick in and the patient's vitals steadied once more, Yugi decided that now was as good a time as any for transfer.

Unlocking the brakes of the medical stretcher, Yugi with a small team of nurses and clinical assistants grasped onto the railings and ran down the halls to the operating room.

Yugi went as far as the OR doors, before a different set of medical staff took over and wheeled the patient into the room and out of his sight. He relayed all relevant information to the appropriate parties of the OR's surgeons and staff. Yugi wasn't a surgeon himself and would not be participating in the resetting of the patient's femur, but the head trauma still concerned him greatly.

No sooner than Yugi had finished his pass on did his pager go off again. He was needed back in the ER.

Yugi felt his chest clench at the thought of leaving this man behind in the OR, and it was such an unfamiliar and foreign sensation that Yugi felt immediately at unease. He swallowed the feeling down, set it aside somewhere out of his reach and locked it away for the time being, because his job did not allow him the luxury nor time to dwell on his own feelings of doubt and anxiety.

So, pushing away the nerves gnawing at his stomach and the emotions pricking at his heart, Yugi returned to the ER to focus on the other patients who needed him for the remainder of his twelve-hour shift.

Yet, as soon as he had clocked out, Yugi had found himself in one of the OR's recovery room with his hip leaning against the open doorframe and his gaze glued on the unconscious man across the room.

 _Yami Sennen_ , his license had read.

Yugi listened to the steady beep of the heart monitor in the room, as his thoughts wandered.

Yami was breathing on his own again, much to the staff's relief, but head injuries - especially ones as traumatic as this - were unpredictable at best.

They was no telling when - or if - Yami would wake up. However, on the assumption that he did rise to consciousness, the man still could very likely have some long-term brain damage due to the accident. There was simply no way to tell though at this time. The medical team had done all they could do. The rest was in Yami's hands.

Yugi sighed at the thought and pushed himself off the door frame, advancing into the room with slow steps. Stopping at the patient's bedside, Yugi studied the man's bruised and marred facial features. He bit his bottom lip in thought. "I have the strangest sense of déjà vu," he whispered aloud. "I feel like... I've seen you somewhere before."

Yugi glanced down to scan the length of the man's body, then reached out for the hand lying limply on top of the hospital bed sheets, taking it in his grasp. "Come on, Yami. I'm sure you have a lot of people who would miss you if you didn't pull through. Please don't give up. You have to fight this. You need to wake up now. I need... to meet you."

Yugi had always had excellent bedside manner. It was one of his qualities that endeared patients and families alike to him. But the words that were filling his throat and begging to be spoken, though they belonged to him, felt like they were coming from a place that he hadn't even really known existed before this moment.

And these words were so thick and coated with emotion that the sheer consuming nature of them threw him completely off-balance.

Yugi nearly jumped out of his skin when he felt the hand he was holding onto tighten fractionally around his. In that second, while his heart stammered against his ribcage, a fresh wave of anxiety, dread, and desperation rushed through him, but they were all barely felt, having been overpowered by the blossoming of _hope_ in his chest.

"There you go, Yami," Yugi murmured, returning the minute movement with a squeeze of his own. "Come back to me. I'm right here, and I'm waiting."

 _I've been waiting forever for you_.

His voice must have called out to the part of Yami that needed to hear it, because not a moment later did Yami's eyelids flutter open to meet his gaze. The color of his irises reminded Yugi of desert sunsets and sweet roses - and in that moment, nothing else existed in this entire world but them.

Suddenly, the emotions that had been flooding and crashing inside of him began to _pour_ out of him. Yugi could not explain why his eyes started to burn; he could not understand the blurring of his vision or the streams of tears that began flowing from his eyes. All Yugi knew was that this reaction was coming from somewhere deep, _deep_ inside him…

It almost felt as if his soul was crying.

"Hey _you_." Yugi whispered with a smile. "You found me," he said, though he wasn't sure why.

Yami must have been as disoriented as Yugi felt, because he was suddenly releasing Yugi's hand to reach up and hold the side of Yugi's face, brushing the tears away with gentle strokes of his thumb.

Yami smiled up at him - and it was like he was seeing him again for the first time in far too long.

" _Finally_ ," Yami breathed out.


	3. prova di fuoco

**A/N:** I've been learning Italian for two months now. I decided to incorporate some of what I've learned into this chapter. I apologize for any mistakes in advance, native speakers!

Italian translations at the bottom.

 _Round 3_ : 'Fireproof' by One Direction

* * *

 **prova di fuoco**

* * *

The first time Atemu met Yugi Motou was in a little dive bar in Italy.

Not aware of the other's name at the time, Atemu could only refer to him as the man with raven hair and eyes that reminded him of island waters. This absolute stranger, who Atemu had never heard speak, who he'd never seen smile or cry or laugh had, somehow, taken his breath away.

To the point where his best friend had pounded his fist onto his back to remind him that he needed to breathe. And even after that small episode, Atemu still found himself utterly taken with the man standing across from him at the bar - the man who was currently engaged in conversation with a tall, lanky blond.

It took Atemu another full minute or so to realize that his best friend's constant clamoring was inhibiting him from his task of observing every fine detail of his new object of attention.

"Anywho," Ryou said with a small shrug, "I went to Malik and told him that he should just – "

"Yeah, sounds great," Atem muttered distractedly in response. "Jolly good and all that jazz."

"Oh I'm sorry, did I interrupt the beginning of your sentence with the middle of mine?" Ryou sighed, exasperated. "How terribly rude of me."

Atem turned his eyes back to his friend. "I'm sorry, Ryou," he breathed out. "It's just…" He gestured towards the duo in the corner of the bar with a nod of his head. "That man, over there."

Ryou glanced over his shoulder, discreetly. "What about him?" he asked.

"I think I'm going to marry him one day."

Ryou tried to resist the urge to roll his eyes, but it was in vain. "Oh good, so we've skipped right over the buzzed portion of the night and have dived face first into the 'making impulsive, life-changing' decisions part. This can really only go poorly."

Atemu scowled. "I'm serious, Ryou."

"For all you know, he's a 28 year-old man who lives in his mother's basement and robs graves for _fun._ "

It was apparent by Atemu's affirmative hum and averted gaze that he had already tuned him out, so Ryou found it pointless to continue.

Atemu, on the other hand, was completely caught up in the blue violet eyes that had suddenly met his gaze. He could've practically melted into the floorboards when the man _smiled_ at him, because it wasn't a casual or friendly smile.

But rather, it was a _'be-still-my-heart_ ' smile that had Atemu's heart skipping and fluttering and then suddenly flatlining.

Atemu found the strength to smile back and, without breaking eye contact with the other man, he mumbled to Ryou, "Oh did I say I'd marry him one day? I meant tonight."

Ryou raised an eyebrow at him. "Do I need to call in backup for this evening?" he asked.

Atemu was already walking away from him, before Ryou had even finished the question. And when Atemu had crossed the bar, he stepped up to the two men and smiled wide. "Buonasera, _bellissimo,_ " he said, addressing the stunning man before him.

"Bounasera," the man returned. "Forgive me, my Italian is rusty. Do you happen to speak English as well?"

"I am a jack of all trades, you could say," Atemu said, blatantly ignoring the man's blond companion, who was sizing him up. "Atemu Sennen," he introduced, raising his hand.

"Yugi Motou," the other said, clasping the elder's outstretched hand.

Atemu tightened his hold on the hand against his and brought the back of Yugi's hand to his lips. "It's a pleasure, _dolcezza_."

Yugi clearly knew enough Italian to flush a pretty pink at that. "This is my friend - Katsuya," the shorter man said, glancing over to the blond male standing by his side.

Atemu nodded to him, but his attention remained focused on the amethyst-eyed man before him. "I was going to grab another drink. Would you care to join me?"

Yugi glanced over once towards his friend, as if asking for approval, then looked back at Atemu. "I'd love too," he said.

* * *

 **o0~0~0o**

* * *

"Look, Yugi," Atemu said, as soon as they got to the bar top. "I could ask you what your likes and dislikes are. I could ask you for your favorite books and colors and shows. But I will be honest with you - all I want to know right now, in this moment, is how do I make you give me a chance?"

Yugi blinked at him. Slowly. "What?" he coughed out.

"Tell me what you need me to say or do to make you want to give me a chance to win you over."

Yugi still appeared confused. "You don't even know me," he said. "Yet, you already want to _win_ me over?"

Atemu actually chuckled at that. "Are you kidding? I know everything about you. Nobody in this world knows you like I do. And I'm not referring to your superficial likes and dislikes and favorite colors here. I'm talking about our very real attraction and chemistry. I'm talking about the quality and texture of your soul," he said. "I have a gut feeling on this, and if you'll indulge me, even for a night, I think it will be the best decision of both of our lives."

Yugi didn't respond right away, but his eyes were bright and curious and glittering, and it was all Atemu could do not to kiss him. "You play a smooth game, Atemu Sennen," Yugi eventually said.

"Ma si sarebbe il mio gioco preferito, _Yugi_."

Yugi smiled at him. "So, you're asking for just one night?"

Atemu nodded. "Just one," he said.

"How can I trust you?" Yugi asked him. "I feel like I'm playing with fire here."

Atem hid a smile behind a purse of his lips, but his eyes were as bright as day. "I already told you, Yugi. I know you. Even more than I know myself. Sei la prova di fuoro."

Yugi paused, looked him up and down, then smiled a little smile. "Okay. You have one chance," he said. "You better make it count."

* * *

 **o0~0~0o**

* * *

The first time Yugi met Atemu Sennen was in a little dive bar in Italy.

The man was all things dashing, with charming smiles and dark eyes of chocolate cherries. Yugi nudged his friend, and nodded over to the other across the bar. "You see that man over there?" Yugi muttered with a smile. "He's beautiful."

Katsuya followed his line of sight, then shot his friend a questioning glance. "You goin' for it?"

Yugi shook his head. "Oh no, I'd never. Remember what I said? I've sworn off dating. And I'm certainly not going to let myself fall for Mr. Tall, Dark, and Handsome over there."

* * *

 **o0~0~0o**

* * *

Katsuya rolled his eyes when Yugi all but abandoned him and turned to look at the snowy-haired man who stood not too far away from him. He nodded towards him. "He one of your friends?" the blond asked.

"Unfortunately," Ryou breathed out, watching the two settle down on stools by the bar top. He glanced back to the blond. "Your friend has no idea what he's getting himself into."

"Ha," Katsuya chuckled. _"Please_. Your friend doesn't stand a chance. Yug' wants nothing to do with anyone right now."

Ryou blinked at him, then over at the duo. "I don't know," he muttered. "Atemu's as stubborn as an ox."

"Yeah, but Yug' has more trust issues than Russia." Katsuya shot him a look of amusement. "Twenty bucks says your friend strikes out with mine."

Ryou grinned and stuck out his hand. "You're on."

* * *

 **o0~0~0o**

* * *

Two years later, Atemu was straightening out his tie and smoothing out the wrinkles in his shirt with his palms. He turned, arms spread wide, to present himself in his suit to Ryou. "How do I look?" he asked him.

* * *

 **o0~0~0o**

* * *

Sitting on a bench outside the chapel, Katsuya huffed as Ryou casually sat down next to him and held out an open palm.

" _Damnit,_ " Katsuya muttered, slapping a twenty dollar bill down onto his hand.

* * *

 ** _Fine_**

* * *

 _ **Translations:**_

Buonasera, bellissimo – Good evening, beautiful

Dolcezza – Sweetness

Ma si sarebbe il mio gioco preferito, _Yugi_. – But you would be my favorite game, _Yugi_.

Sei la prova di fuoro - You are fireproof.


	4. The Day After

Round 4: ' _The Festival_ ' by David Arkenstone

* * *

 **The Day After**

 _8:00AM_

* * *

The stranger's hair was a waterfall of ebony that tumbled over Atem's satin blue pillowcase in waves.

The dark, tousled tresses contrasted sharply next to the honey-blond curls that framed the young man's face and rested gently against his pale cheeks and rosy lips. The man's eyes were closed in restful slumber, but the outline of those eyes suggested that they were round and perhaps almost ridiculously large.

Atem suddenly felt the urge to see them and silently admonished himself for blacking-out last night (for many reasons, yes, but also because the excessive amount of alcohol took the memory of what color those eyes were with it).

Atem groaned and raised his hand from underneath the sheets to rub furiously at his eyes. His head was throbbing with a dull ache, and his stomach churned with the remnants of what Atem could only label as poor decision-making. As far as he was concerned though, his current physical discomfort was completely deserved.

He lowered his hand back to the bed and gazed over again at the sleeping stranger in his bed.

It had been years since he had gotten drunk to the point of saying _'fuck it!_ ' to his good judgement and morals, and had participated in a one-night stand. If he was being completely honest, breaking that streak was not something that he was particularly proud of - no matter how devastatingly handsome the man resting beside him was.

Atem exhaled a loud sigh. His body ached, his skin was sticky, and the dull sensation in his head was getting _less dull_ and more acute with each passing second.

He needed to get up, rinse off, and down a bottle of Tylenol as soon as his will-power allowed him to do so.

But first, he needed to wake up his _guest_ and begin the awkward process of 'the day after a one-night stand'. Atem reprimanded himself once more for putting himself in this mess in the first place.

It was with a touch of reluctance that he reached over and touched the man's bare shoulder and... he paused.

The man's skin, Atem quietly appraised, was baby-soft and silky smooth, and the feel of it underneath his fingertips sent a rush of blood immediately south. For the second time that morning, Atem wished he could remember last night -

It must have been quite a treat for his drunk self to have this _stunning_ man beneath him, with flushed cheeks and panted breaths and (what Atem assumed) were beautiful eyes lustfully gazing up at him. Without conscious thought, Atem let his fingers trail the curve of the man's shoulder, and only then did he realize that he needed that shower _stat_ and that _yes_ \- this would be an ice-cold one.

As if sensing his touch as well as his thoughts, the man beside him began to stir and slowly rise to consciousness. After a failed attempt or two at waking, the man's eyes fluttered open, and... _wow_.

They were just the prettiest baby blues that Atem had ever seen, the color of which were only further highlighted by the little specks of violet within their depths.

After a few moments, the young man finally seemed to focus on Atem, and the elder watched as realization swept over those breath-taking features. Then, the smaller man parted his plush pink lips, and Atem suddenly found himself looking forward to hearing the voice that went along with such a radiant human being.

The young man opened his mouth and breathed,

"Oh _fuck_."

* * *

 _9:00AM_

* * *

Yugi closed his eyes and curled up into an even tighter ball under the sheets.

He was still too hungover to even _consider_ moving and was thankful that the other man didn't seem to mind his extended stay (even though it was probably against one-night stand protocol to not jump out of bed and leave immediately upon waking).

As far as Yugi was concerned though, protocol could _shove it,_ and it could take common courtesy with it for good measure. He simply could not find it in himself to care that he was still stark naked under this man's blue satin sheets, because his head was pounding with the intensity of a jackhammer plummeting into his skull, and he was about one minute away from downing a bottle of tequila for the sole purpose of getting so drunk that he wouldn't have to deal with this hangover - or with this stranger that he had apparently followed home like some lost puppy.

 _Real classy_ , Yugi thought to himself, but the effort it took him to mentally scold himself hurt his brain, so he didn't even bother to continue.

The stranger who he had woken up next to this morning had gotten up from the bed about thirty minutes prior to bathe - or at least, that's what Yugi presumed when he heard the gentle pitter-patter of a shower running in the near distance.

Yugi had spent said half-hour drifting in and out of sleep, desperately trying to cling to the solace of nothingness and sleep away this hangover, but unable to fully succumb due to how awful the thrumming in his temple had become.

In his current state, Yugi was only able to partly register the sound of the bedroom door creaking open, but the distinct smell of beach winds and sands that the freshly-washed man brought with him was enough to ease Yugi for a moment's time.

For that, Yugi was eternally grateful.

And by eternally, he meant momentarily, because not a second later did the man sweep open the curtains layering the window by the bed, which in turn allowed a flood of blinding rays to pierce the entirety of the room.

Yugi physically recoiled.

"You're the devil," Yugi determined aloud, bringing the sheets up to cover his eyes and shield himself from the sunlight.

"I'm opening the window to get some fresh air in here," the man said, and Yugi only then noticed the deep, silky tones in his voice. "It'll do us both some good."

Yugi whole-heartedly disagreed with that sentiment, but remained silent on the matter, because talking hurt his head almost as badly as thinking. Though content in the brief return of silence that followed, Yugi found himself pursing his lips into a small frown when he felt the mattress underneath him creak under new weight.

He was about to comment and ask whether or not the man was getting back into bed when the smell of summer and sand washed over him once more, the scent slipping under the sheets scrunched around his face and lulling him back into a momentary state of relaxation.

It was because of this temporary distraction that Yugi was not nearly as hostile as he could've been when the man suddenly pulled the sheets away from his face. Yugi did, however, let out a cry of protest at the stunt.

With a scowl etched onto his face, Yugi blinked up at the man sitting next to him in the bed. Even though his vision was still a messy blur, his brain was able to register more of the man's features than before, and the bit of clarity allowed Yugi the chance to appreciate just how striking the tan-skinned man next to him was.

"Here," the man said, handing Yugi a bottle of water and what looked like a small handful of meds. "Take these."

Yugi could barely even function at the moment, never mind sitting up to drink anything. He shook his head at the other, the movement tiny and barely discernible. "No," he said.

"You prefer to suffer?" the other asked him.

"What I prefer is not to move or drink or talk or even exist right now."

The man rolled his eyes, which were the color of coffee with just a hint of rosy hues. He turned and placed the bottle of water and pills on the nightstand by the bed. "Well, they're here when you're ready to take them. There's also a shower right across the hall that you're welcomed to use, and I have some old clothes in there that you can throw on if you need them."

"Thanks," Yugi mumbled sincerely, as he brought the blankets back up to his face and allowed his eyes to close again. "I just need another few minutes of sleep, and then I'll get ready to leave."

Yugi was already drifting off when the man's words hit his ears. "You can stay as long as you need, little one. I'll be out in the living room if you need anything."

The younger man exhaled a deep, sleepy breath at that. "Yugi," he muttered quietly. "My name is Yugi."

The man next to him made a noncommittal noise. "Atem," was all he said.

* * *

 _10:00AM_

* * *

Yugi was quite the character, Atem decided, when he heard a loud _thump_ followed by a slew of curses ring out from his bedroom.

By the sound alone, Atem guessed that the younger man had somehow managed to entangle himself in his bedsheets and had landed rather ungracefully on the floor by his bed. Atem briefly considered going to check on the other but, deciding against it, the elder settled back down on his couch and resumed the task of flipping through the shows that he had lined up on his Netflix queue.

Though Atem didn't know the younger man, it seemed to him that Yugi dealt with hangovers in a way similar to Atem's close friend, Bakura. And that way consisted of - _don't talk to me, don't look at me, and if you even think of touching me, I will end your life_.

Though not nearly as aggressive and absolute as his friend, Atem figured that Yugi would appreciate the space to regroup and reset after waking to find himself painfully hungover in a strange place with someone he didn't know from a sack of rocks.

And while it was true that Atem and Yugi had both been guilty of participating in a sexually-fueled rendezvous in a bout of drunken stupidity last night, at least Atem was in his own apartment surrounded with the comfort of his own things. Yugi didn't have that luxury and, recognizing his 'home-field advantage', Atem figured it was best to afford Yugi a little bit of privacy in hopes that it would make this morning go as swimmingly as humanly possible - all the way up until the man's eventual departure.

Finally deciding on a movie to watch for later, Atem lowered the remote to the coffee table and brought both of his hands up to scrub at his face. The hydration and meds were doing their job, but he hadn't felt this shitty in quite a long time, and so he allowed himself an extra fifteen minutes on the couch to just relax and sit in silence.

After said time elapsed, Atem glanced at the clock hanging on his wall. 10:27AM.

The elder sighed and stood from the couch, then walked over to the adjoining kitchen to see what he had in his fridge.

He figured he might as well get started on breakfast.

* * *

 _11:00AM_

* * *

Atem was exceptionally handsome, Yugi decided the moment he walked into the kitchen to find the man behind the stove making french toast.

Yugi had figured as much when he had seen Atem earlier in bed, but given that his vision was no longer hindered by sleep or headaches or the inability to focus on anything for more than four seconds, Yugi now fully got to bask in the unfairly gorgeous man before him.

Striking skin tones touched by the sun, hair a luminous raven and gold, and those eyes... man, _those eyes could stop traffic._

Upon stumbling out of Atem's bed an hour ago, Yugi had finally relented and had gulped down the meds and water left out on the nightstand for him. He had then scurried quietly across the hall to partake in a marvelous forty-minute shower that did wonders for his hangover. It was only when he had dried off that he had noticed the pair of old gray sweatpants folded on the edge of the sink alongside a white shirt that was way too big for him, but it really didn't matter to him at that point.

The abrasiveness that had been brought on by his hangover subsiding, Yugi had found himself touched at the kindness Atem had extended to him by this gesture, especially when the elder had no obligation to do so. Atem was extraordinarily thoughtful, Yugi had mused to himself, as he dressed in the elder's old clothing and exited the bathroom.

And now, here he was, standing in the kitchen, watching Atem cook breakfast as if they did this same ol' routine everyday. How odd.

Atem must have sensed his arrival, because he suddenly stopped what he was doing to glance over at him. Yugi watched as those multi-pile-up-causing eyes lit up like Christmas. "Hey," Atem greeted him, before clearing his throat and looking back at the stove. "Do you like french toast?"

Yugi blinked at the question. "Uh.. yeah. I do."

Atem nodded and then gestured towards the stool by the island counter top. "Take a seat. They're just about done."

Yugi hesitated but, after a few moments, he did as he was told. "Thank you," he said. "I must say you're being awfully nice to the stranger you found in your bed this morning."

Atem lifted one shoulder in a half-shrug. "Well, if I can take you home, then I can certainly feed you." The older man turned to him then and gave him a once-over with his eyes. "Sorry that my clothes are a little big for you."

Yugi waved him off. "It's okay. Thanks for letting me use them, by the way."

Atem dismissed the thanks with a small smile and looked at Yugi in a way that made the younger feel as if Atem was contemplating something important. It was intense but had a gentle edge to it - and it was enough to cause a small flush of heat to fill Yugi's face, being on the receiving end of such a look.

But just as quickly as it had come, the gleam in those cherry chocolate eyes was gone, and Atem's attention had returned to the stovetop.

* * *

 _12:00PM_

* * *

When Yugi had first appeared in the kitchen, with Atem's old sweatpants hanging off his hips, and his old shirt exposing his collarbone and a single shoulder, the skin of which was simply _glittering_ with leftover specks of water from his shower, Atem nearly combusted.

Yugi was far too beautiful for his own good.

And by that, Atem meant that at the sight of him, Atem's reason and rational-thinking seemed to _peace out_ , and he found himself wanting to touch Yugi in a way that was far too intimate in light of their current predicament.

And yet, the way those cheeks blushed when their gazes locked and the way those arctic sunset, bluish-violet eyes sparkled only served to further derail every coherent thought that tried to enter his mind.

It was only after breakfast had been eaten and cleared away, and Yugi had taken up residence on the couch to call his friend for a ride that Atem was left in the kitchen to wonder if what he was feeling right now had been an exact replica of what he had felt towards the other last night.

Did he just happen to see Yugi from across the street or bar or restaurant and feel this same compulsion to be near him? Was it simply the alcohol that made him take that next step and invite this man into this home and into his bed... or was it something more?

Was it... chemistry?

Atem shook his head to rid himself of the thoughts and, after setting the breakfast plates aside, he decided to join Yugi in the living room.

"I've alerted the troops that I am alive," Yugi told him when Atem settled in the loveseat across from the younger man. He watched Yugi toss his phone down onto the cushion beside him and sigh. "My friend said he'd give me call as soon as he can come pick me up. Think you can put up with me for just a bit longer?"

Atem chuckled at that. "I think I can manage," he said.

"Thanks," Yugi said with a small smile, which fell after a moment to make room for a tiny frown. "So..." Yugi began quietly, as if suddenly shy. "I don't really remember much about last night."

Atem couldn't tell if he was relieved or disappointed to hear that, but he didn't bother trying to figure it out. "Actually, I don't remember much of anything either."

Yugi raised his hands into the air playfully. "Whelp, I guess that's the last St. Patricks Day Festival I'll ever go to."

"Ditto," Atem agreed with a small salute. "Also, I'll be getting myself some new friends in the near future that _don't_ encourage me to take shots of whiskey and make a fool out of myself."

"Ha, let me know if you find any, because I'll be looking, too," Yugi replied. "You know, actually, I do remember a little bit about the festival, but not much. Mostly just green beer and a lot of leprechaun references, because my friends are assholes."

Atem laughed. "I remember the beginning of the night too, but..." he hesitated. "But I don't remember meeting you."

Yugi made a small grunt of affirmation, as he laid back onto the couch pillows beside him. "Me neither..." he said. A small pink flush dusted across his nose. "...I wish I did though," he said softly.

Atem looked over at him and the corner of his lips twitched. "Me too."

Yugi gave him a tiny smile and opened his mouth to say something else, but then his eyes caught a glimpse of the TV and, if it were even possible, those eyes grew larger in size. "Ah! Were you watching _The Departed_?!"

Atem seemed surprised by his sudden burst of excitement. "I was planning to watch it at some point today. I take it you like this movie?"

Yugi nodded decisively. "It's one of my favorite movies!"

Atem smiled at the glitter in Yugi's pretty, round eyes. "Mine too," he said. "Why don't you stay and watch it with me?"

"Really?" Yugi said, surprise evident in his voice. "You don't mind?"

Atem chuckled as he leaned forward to grab the remote off the table. "I mean, unless you have something better to do on this rainy Sunday afternoon."

Yugi's smile was back and, like his eyes, had widened two-fold. " _Nope,_ " he said.

* * *

 _1:00PM_

* * *

More than halfway through the movie, Jou called him on his cell, making his phone vibrate something fierce by his feet. Before Yugi could even register what he was doing, he had picked up his cell and silenced the call, deciding instead to respond with a ' _I actually don't need a ride right now, I'll talk to you later'_ text.

Atem, who had been munching on the bowl of popcorn he had made minutes before, noticed his distracted state and threw a few kernels at him as punishment for being on his phone during what Atem declared was ' _the best part!_ '

In order to defend himself, Yugi dropped his phone back onto the cushion and picked up one of Atem's decorative couch pillows to use as a shield against the attack of popcorn kernels.

Yugi couldn't help but laugh, as he peeked around the pillow to ensure that Atem had given up his fight for now.

Indeed, the elder had returned to watching the movie on the television screen.

But it was with a smidgen of satisfaction that Yugi noticed the curve of a smile on those lips.

* * *

 _2:00PM_

* * *

"What do you mean you've never seen _Inception_?!"

Atem winced at the indignation resonating from Yugi's outcry. "I just haven't gotten around to watching it yet," he offered.

"That's the worst excuse I've ever heard!"

Atem put his hands up in surrender. "Fine, fine, _you win_ , I'll watch it," he relented.

Standing to his feet, Atem walked into the adjoining kitchen to fetch them both a glass of water. When he returned to the living room, he placed the glasses down on the coasters in the center of his coffee table. Then, he picked up the remote and scrolled over to the search bar on the main Netflix page.

"Inception it is," he exhaled.

Yugi raised an eyebrow at him. "Right now?" he asked.

Atem shot him a glance over his shoulder. "Well, if it's so _freaking_ _amazing_ , I'm guessing you'll have no qualms with watching it again with me," he said.

Then in lieu of the loveseat, Atem sat down next to Yugi on the couch.

* * *

 _3:00PM_

* * *

During the second movie, Yugi drifted off to sleep - his fatigue from earlier returning with a vengeance. Without any real thought, he re-adjusted himself on the couch and then suddenly felt a new kind of warmth surround him.

When Yugi opened his eyes next, Atem's fingers were brushing through his hair, and it felt so... _nice_.

His headache was completely gone now, and he finally felt like a human being again, but even so, he still didn't want to alert the other to his conscious state, simply because he didn't want the man to stop what he was doing.

So, Yugi allowed his eyes to flutter close once again.

Maybe just a few more minutes, he thought to himself.

* * *

 _4:00PM_

* * *

"Are you hungry?" Atem asked him.

Yugi blinked over at him, having just scurried off the man's lap and into the arm of the couch when they both woke only a minute prior to find themselves curled up into one another.

Yugi hesitated in his response, simply because it was taking his brain slightly longer than usual to process everything. Man, if avoiding awkward moments was an Olympic Sport, Atem would have the gold in the bag.

"I'm starving," Yugi said, grateful for the quick shift in the atmosphere that made him feel like all was back to normal (what the hell did he consider _normal_ by the way? Because this situation was anything _but_ ).

"Let's order some pizza," Atem said, digging into his pocket for his phone.

"Are you sure?" Yugi asked him. "I don't want to overstay my welcome more than I already have."

Atem flipped open his cell, not even looking at him as he began to dial. "You're not," he said simply.

* * *

 _5:00PM_

* * *

Yugi had never seen an entire pizza be demolished in such a short amount of time, but he was happily full, as he helped Atem wash the dishes from dinner.

All was right in the world, until Atem began trash-talking one of his favorite book series of all time.

Thoroughly displeased with Atem's opinions on the matter, Yugi flicked a few soapy suds at Atem and laughed at the bewildered expression that overtook Atem's features.

Yugi was still laughing - all the way up until Atem suddenly pinned him against the counter.

Then the sound bouncing from his lips died on his tongue, as he suddenly became all too aware of the feel of Atem's body against his and those eyes on his face. Yugi felt a burst of color fill his cheeks at the thoughts that crossed his mind, given the close proximity to the man he had garnered an odd affinity for in the last half a day.

Yugi suddenly wanted to kiss Atem's shoulder.

His neck.

His jaw.

He wanted to remember what it was like to have the sun-kissed skin under his lips.

How strange it was, he thought, to have been so intimate with another human being and not remember any of it. Especially someone as playful and kind and downright _sexy_ as Atem.

Yugi exhaled, his breath more shaky than he had hoped it would be. "Hey," he whispered. "You gonna help with these dishes or are you just gonna stand around and stare at me all night like you want to eat me?"

Atem blinked. Slowly.

Then, he took a step away from Yugi and released a loud, bellow of laughter.

And even though Yugi was disappointed that his comment had broken the momentary spell between them, the hearty sound of Atem's uninhibited laughter was enough to make Yugi _glow_.

* * *

 _6:00PM_

* * *

"I should get going soon, huh?" Yugi asked.

Atem felt the words set something off inside of him, but didn't say anything, as Yugi stood from the couch and stretched.

The younger man smiled down at him. "Thanks for everything. I had a lot of fun with you today," he said.

"I did, too," Atem admitted without pause.

Yugi hummed, then turned to pick up his phone from the couch. He tapped on his screen, searching for a particular number, Atem assumed, in order to get a ride home - wherever that was.

"Wait."

Yugi gazed up at him. "What's wrong?"

"Nothing," Atem said, standing to his feet as well. "It's just..." He shifted his weight onto his hip and raked a hand through his hair, his fingers catching on the loose knots at the ends. "Did you... did you want to stay the night?"

The phone nearly fell from Yugi's grasp. "Really?" Yugi asked, eyes wide. " _Again_?"

Atem looked at him. "Yeah..."

Yugi pursed his lips, trying (and failing) to hide his smile. "That's usually not how one-night stands work, is it?"

"No, it's not," Atem admitted, a smirk curving his own lips. "But I don't think anything about today is going according to script so..."

Yugi's smile broke free from its confines at that and, without another word on the subject, he dropped his cell back onto the couch, then plopped down onto the cushion himself.

* * *

 _7:00PM_

* * *

This time, when the movie reached it's halfway point, Yugi rose from the couch and came to stand in front of Atem. The older man, seated back on his loveseat, averted his eyes from the screen and gazed up at him silently. Even as Yugi lowered himself onto the cushion and slid his knees into the back of the chair, his thighs trapping the elder's legs in place, Atem didn't utter a word.

He just let Yugi curl his hand in his hair and pull his head back, so that the younger man could press their lips together. Then, Atem, heat already pooling in his groin like lava, wrapped his arms around Yugi's waist and pressed him flush against him. He deepened the kiss, his tongue trailing over Yugi's bottom lip, and Yugi parted his lips to encourage the man below him to continue. Sweat already forming on his brow and breaths quickening at an alarming rate, Atem parted to yank Yugi's shirt off over his head.

"Maybe tomorrow we'll actually leave the house," Atem muttered, finding the underside of Yugi's jaw and sucking lightly, finding himself thrilled at the prospect of spending a night with Yugi that he would remember.

Yugi moaned, as Atem licked a path down his neck with the tip of his tongue. "Or..." he panted, "we could repeat this day all over again."

Yugi felt Atem's lips stretch into a smile against his skin. "Yeah," Atem exhaled huskily. "Let's do that."

* * *

 ** _End_**


	5. A Night In May

**A/N:** I was unable to complete my oneshot for Round 5, unfortunately. So, we are jumping ahead to Round 6 here. Hope you enjoy, and Happy Thanksgiving all!

 _Round 6:_ Night Ride Across Caucasus by Loreena McKennit

* * *

 **A Night in May**

* * *

If Yugi embodied anything, it was _Spring_.

His eyes were like brisk sunrises in March and like clear skies in April. His lips were like freshly-bloomed roses, and his voice was as sweet as honey. His smile was like morning light, and his touch as gentle as butterflies.

And when night came that one day in late May, and the darkness descended around them, it hid with it all of Yugi's stunning qualities – but only from the rest of the world, because not even the darkness, as thick and velvety as it was, could ever mask Yugi's beauty from him.

The rolling hills around them were a plush, shadow green, the trees' silhouettes surrounding them from all sides, and the sea before them stretched on until it touched the night sky – one that was more shining than it was dark.

Yugi ran into the sea first, skin as white as the stars above them and eyes just as bright.

Yami was not far behind him.

"Yugi," he called out quietly, his voice rolling over the gentle waves.

Yugi turned to look at him over the dark water. "Yes?"

Yami opened his mouth to speak, but it seemed that the sea breeze that fluttered past him that very moment took his very breath with it as well. Yugi waited for him, his eyes patient and encouraging.

But even still, Yami could not find the strength he needed to continue. He had somehow lost all words in that vast expanse of black water.

But he supposed that's why he had Yugi - because the smaller man immediately found them for him.

"Do you love me?"

Yami should have been surprised by the question; caught off-guard, perhaps. But he wasn't. "More than I care to admit," Yami replied. "But only because to do so would mean that losing you would ruin me."

Yugi tilted his head at those words, considering them carefully. Then he moved his little hands forward, swimming towards Yami until he was floating effortlessly in front of him.

He took Yami's face in his hands then and let the elder's blond bangs brush over his fingertips. He met Yami's eyes, nearly nose to nose now. "You could never lose me," Yugi said, softly.

Yami exhaled at the warmth that radiated from Yugi's palms covering his cheeks - a pleasant contrast to the chill of the water he was halfway submerged in. "How can you know that for certain?" Yami asked him, voice still low.

Yugi's lips pulled into the tiniest of smiles. "Because you are my darkness," Yugi said, "and I can't shine without you, Yami. I can't _exist_ without you."

Yami let the other's words sink in. It took him a moment but, after it passed, he finally understood what Yugi was telling him. "You…" Yami started quietly. "You love me, don't you?"

Yugi's smile widened. "More than I'd care to admit," he said.

Then, Yugi leaned forward and pressed his lips to Yami's... and it was that one night in late May that changed everything.


End file.
